Safety-lock for split switches.



No. 794,155. PATENTED JULY 11, 1905.

G. AUSPOS & P. NELSON.

SAFETY LOOK FOR SPLIT SWITCHES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30. 1905.

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Pawn-u! GIAFNID I" wanna MILPIS unm n no :0 u vonx NTTED STATES Patented July 11, 1905.

GEORGE AUSPOS AND PETER NELSON, OF ELK RIVER, MINNESOTA.

SAFETY-LOCK FOR SPLIT SWITCHES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 794,155, dated July 11, 1905,

Application filed March 80,1905. Serial No. 252,985.

To all wltom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE AUsros and I ETER NELSON, citizens of the United States, residing at Elk River, in the county of Sherburne and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety-Locks for Split Switches; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to split switches, and has for its object to provide an improved lock adapted to operate upon the ends of the split rails to lock the same in whichever position they may be properly set.

To the above ends the invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described, and defined in the claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are plan views with some parts broken away, illustrating our invention applied in working position to a split switch; and Fig. 3 is a view in elevation, the rails being sectioned on the line m of Fig. 1, showing the parts illustrated in Fig. 1.

The numeral 1 indicates the fixed rails, and numeral 2 the movable split rail of the main track, and the numeral 3 indicates one of the fixed rails, and the numeral 4 the movable split rail of a side track or branch line.

The numeral 5 indicates one of the ties, which is of course set into the road-bed.

The free ends of the split rails 2 and L are rigidly connected by a tie-bar 6, which, as is usual, is connected by a rod 7 to the crank 8 of a switch-stand of the usual construction. The frame or pedestal 9 of the switch-stand is rigidly secured to one end of the tie 5, and its vertical shaft 10, which carries the crank 8, is provided at its upper end with the usual switch-lever 11, having a pivoted outer end section 12, that cooperates in the usual way with a notched segment 13 on the upper end of said pedestal. When the lever-section 12 is raised, the split rails may be moved thereby from the position indicated in Fig. 1 into the position indicated in Fig. 2, and by dropping said lever-section 12 into the one or the other of the notches of the said segment 13 the said split rails may be locked in either of said two positions. This much is the usual construction and operation.

The ends of the split rails, as is well known, are cut or tapered to sharp points or edges, and these end portions are capable of being quite easily sprung. Hence it has been necessary to apply the tie-bar 6, through which the split rails moved, at a considerable distance from the points of said rails. Many accidents have occurred due to the fact that the points of the split rails have not been positively locked in their properly-set positions. Our invention provides what may be termed an auxiliary lockfor positively locking the points of the split rails in their properlyset positions. As preferably constructed, this supplemental or auxiliary lock comprises as follows: The numeral 1 1 indicates a pair of reversely-projecting lock-levers pivoted at 15 to a bearing-plate 16, which in turn is rigidly secured to the tie 5 and at its ends is provided with upturned slotted flanges 17 through which the outer. ends of said locklevers work freely. At their free ends the locklevers let are provided with lock-lugs 18 of proper width to snugly fit between the adjacent fixed rail and the end of the split rail when the latter is moved away from said fixed rail. The inner ends of the lock-levers 14: are loosely pivoted to one end of a plunger 19, which is mounted in a box 20, secured on the tie 5. A spring 21, mounted within the box 20, acts upon the plunger with a strain tending to cause the lock-levers 14 to assume their operative positions. (Indicated in Fig. 1.) Each lock-lever is, as shown, provided with a projecting arm 22, one or the other of which, according to which side of the track the switchstand happens to be located, is connected by a rod 23 to one arm of the bell-crank 24, mounted in a bearing 25 on the base of the switchstand, and having its other arm connected by a chain 26 to the intermediate por tion of the movable section 12 of the switchthrowing arm or lever.

The length of the chain 26 is such that Whenever the lever-section 12 is raised, as is necessary in throwing the switch-that is, in-moving the split rails the bell-crank 24 will be rocked, and through the rod 23 the lock-levers 14 will be forced against the tension of the spring 21 into their inoperative positions, (shown in Fig. 2,) thereby permitting the free movements of the said split rails. When, however, the lever-section 12 is dropped after the switch has been thrown, thespring 21 will automatically throw the lock-levers 14 into their operative positions, thereby causing the locklug 18 of the one lock-lever to engage between the adjacent fixed rail and the cooperating split rail and the lock-lug 18 of the other locklever to-engage the point of the other split rail and hold the same firmly locked "against the adjacent fixed rail.

' Bythis simple device it will be seen that theendsofthesplit rails will be positively locked in whichever position they may be set to wit, in either one or the other of the two positions which they may properly occupy. It will also be noted that the auxiliary lock mechanism requires no specialoperation,-but is operated by movement of the lever of the switch-stand required to throw the switch;

The-device describech'it will be understood, is capable of modification-within the scope of our invention as herein-set forthand claimed.

What we claim, and desire-to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. The combination'wit-h a split switch, of a lock arranged to move to and from a position between-the ends of the rails, and operating directly upon the endsof the split rails topositi=velylock the same in their set positions, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a split switch, of a pair of lock-levers having lock-lugs engageable with the ends of the split rails, to positively lock the same in their set positions, substantially as described.-

3. The combination'with a split switch, of

a pair of spring-pressed lock-levers provided with lock-lugs engageable with the ends of the split rails, to positively lockthe same in their set positions, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a split switch, of a pair of lock-levers 14 provided with locklugs 18 engageable withthe-ends of the split rails, to positively lock the same in their set positions, a spring-pressed plunger operating on the inner ends of said lock-levers, to throw the same into operative positions, and connections for moving said lock-levers into inoperative positions, extending to one side of the track, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a split switch, and a switch-stand having a crank-shaft connected to the split rails-of an auxiliary lock, operative-directlyon the ends of thesplit rails to positively lock the sanne'in'theirsetpositions, and an operating connection between said auxiliary lock and the crank-shaft of said switch-stand, arranged to operate theformer by an action necessary in throwing the switch, substantially'as described.

6; The combinationwitha-split switch, of a switch-stand havinga crank-shaft provided witha two-part operating-lever 11 12 andhav ing a crank connected to the splitrails, a pair of pivoted spring-pressed lock-levers 1 1, having IOck-lugs18 engageable'directly with the ends of the split rails, a bell-crank at the baseofthe switch-stand, a rod connecting-one arm'of saidbell-crank to a projection'of one of said lock-levers, and afle'xible connection, such as a chain, connecting the other arm of said bell-crank to the movable section 12 of said switch-lever, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE AUSPOS. PETER NELSON.-

Witnesses:

CHARLES W HEATON, NELLIE E. CRooKET'r. 

